The invention relates to winch systems for hauling payloads between relatively movable stations such as two ships, for example.
Winch systems are known for hauling payloads between a supply ship and a receiving ship. The payload is supported on a trolley or pulley block running on a cable extending between the ships and is hauled along the cable by the winch system which comprises an inhaul winch for hauling towards the supply ship and an outhaul winch for hauling towards the receiving ship. The winches are either both on the supply ship or the outhaul winch may be on the receiving ship and the inhaul winch on the supply ship.
It has been proposed to control the speed of movement of the trolley or block by controlling the speed of first one winch then both winches and finally the other winch as the payload is traversed. Such control was proposed to be achieved by governing the winch pay-out rate of the or each winch concerned.